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Description

The history of the gradual enslavement of semi-free hereditary servants, one of the roots of the servile class, traces back to the time before the 1600s. It began with the distinction drawn between slaves, serfs, and semi-freedoms or low-status servants without civil rights.

Initially, semi-free hereditary servants were allowed certain limited freedoms, but the turning point came when their masters insisted on the right for their entire families to be bound to a lifetime of "servant's service." This meant that not only the individual servant but their descendants would also be subjected to servitude, passing down the status from one generation to the next.
Over time, hereditary servants were subjected to a series of mandatory hereditary contracts that bound them to their masters for life. These contracts often included prohibitions on running away or resigning from their positions, leaving them effectively trapped in servitude with no means of escape.
The masters also claimed the right to exercise domestic jurisdiction over the hereditary servants, which meant they had the power to administer punishment and discipline within their households. This further solidified the power imbalance and dehumanization of the hereditary servants, who were treated as mere property rather than as human beings with rights and dignity.
Perhaps one of the most egregious aspects of the gradual enslavement was the masters' claim of the right to send the children of hereditary servants into service from a very young age. This practice ensured a continuous supply of labor for the masters, perpetuating the cycle of servitude for future generations.
As the 18th century approached, the situation for hereditary servants became increasingly dire. The passing of the hereditary servants' law in the late 18th century was the final blow, reducing them to the status of a servile class. Under this law, they were legally treated as the complete property of their masters, with no rights or agency of their own. They were no different from former slaves and serfs, stripped of their humanity and reduced to commodities owned and controlled by their masters.
This system of gradual enslavement led to the establishment of the servile class, comprising not only slaves and serfs but also the once semi-free hereditary servants. The servile class endured immense suffering and exploitation, trapped in a system that denied them basic human rights and perpetuated their subjugation from one generation to the next. This dark chapter in history serves as a stark reminder of the cruelty and inhumanity that can arise from the abuse of power and the erosion of human rights.

Description

The history of the gradual enslavement of semi-free hereditary servants, one of the roots of the servile class, traces back to the time before the 1600s. It began with the distinction drawn between slaves, serfs, and semi-freedoms or low-status servants without civil rights.

Initially, semi-free hereditary servants were allowed certain limited freedoms, but the turning point came when their masters insisted on the right for their entire families to be bound to a lifetime of "servant's service." This meant that not only the individual servant but their descendants would also be subjected to servitude, passing down the status from one generation to the next.
Over time, hereditary servants were subjected to a series of mandatory hereditary contracts that bound them to their masters for life. These contracts often included prohibitions on running away or resigning from their positions, leaving them effectively trapped in servitude with no means of escape.
The masters also claimed the right to exercise domestic jurisdiction over the hereditary servants, which meant they had the power to administer punishment and discipline within their households. This further solidified the power imbalance and dehumanization of the hereditary servants, who were treated as mere property rather than as human beings with rights and dignity.
Perhaps one of the most egregious aspects of the gradual enslavement was the masters' claim of the right to send the children of hereditary servants into service from a very young age. This practice ensured a continuous supply of labor for the masters, perpetuating the cycle of servitude for future generations.
As the 18th century approached, the situation for hereditary servants became increasingly dire. The passing of the hereditary servants' law in the late 18th century was the final blow, reducing them to the status of a servile class. Under this law, they were legally treated as the complete property of their masters, with no rights or agency of their own. They were no different from former slaves and serfs, stripped of their humanity and reduced to commodities owned and controlled by their masters.
This system of gradual enslavement led to the establishment of the servile class, comprising not only slaves and serfs but also the once semi-free hereditary servants. The servile class endured immense suffering and exploitation, trapped in a system that denied them basic human rights and perpetuated their subjugation from one generation to the next. This dark chapter in history serves as a stark reminder of the cruelty and inhumanity that can arise from the abuse of power and the erosion of human rights.